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Revs play big game on Saturday night in Orlando

The New England Revolution will try for their first-ever win at Orlando City on Saturday night in a match that has major playoff implications in the tight Eastern Conference race.

New England (10-10-9, 39 points), which is 0-2-3 all-time in Orlando, enters the weekend in the seventh and final playoff spot, two points ahead of the eighth-place Montreal Impact (11-15-4, 37) and four in front of ninth-place Orlando City (9-13-8, 35). The Revolution have a game in hand on both squads.

A victory would catapult the Revs into a tie for fourth place with Toronto FC and D.C. United, both of whom play on Sunday and have played one more match than New England.

The key six-point swing game is especially crucial for the host Lions, who play two of their final three matches on the road, where they have compiled a 3-6-6 record.

“These are the types of games that you want to be involved in, so again we’re really looking forward to it,” Orlando City coach James O’Connor told the team website. “I think for us this particular game, obviously we’re desperate to win because we understand the ramifications of the game, the importance of the game.”

The Lions come in off a 2-2 draw on Saturday with Supporters’ Shield-leading Los Angeles Football Club but missed out on gaining three points when LAFC’s Diego Rossi scored the tying goal in the 78th minute.

New England, which is 1-1-3 in its past five matches, comes in off a bitter 2-1 loss at Eastern Conference-leading New York City FC last Saturday. The Revs looked as if they were going to leave Yankee Stadium with a valuable point before Jesus Medina scored the game-winner for NYCFC in the 96th minute on a penalty kick.

The Revolution won the first meeting with the Lions 4-1 on July 27 at Gillette Stadium.

“They’re going to do everything they can to win the game because if they don’t win they could be out,” said midfielder Diego Fagundez, who scored the final New England goal in the first meeting. “We know it’s a big push right now to the end. Everybody wants in to the playoffs. It’s going to be a great game. We just have to make sure that we come home with three points.”